What it's Like to Self-Publish with BookBaby

The freedom provided by self publishing, along with the changes in traditional publishing, opened up more avenues for me, as an author, to take creative control of my own projects. Read more

When it comes to professional book production, the interior formatting is absolutely critical. Whether the pages have two columns or one column, the type and size of font that's used, the spacing... all of that is very important. Read more

If you plan to work with a self-publishing company, start the production process early on. Make a connection with the company who will produce your book and allay the uncertainty you feel as you ponder the unknowns of the self-publishing process. Read more

Published author and regular BookBaby Blog contributor Scott McCormick is embarking on a new publishing effort — a self-published book. In this multi-part blog series, he chronicles the process, from initial call to the execution of the marketing plan, to give you insight into the self-publishing process. Read more

One major thing DIY authors worry about, understandably, is marketing. Authors are under the impression that traditional publishers have an entire staff sitting there, waiting to market and publicize their book once they get a book deal. As someone who has had a traditional deal, I can tell you this concept is true, but to a much lesser degree than you expect. Read more

Many self-published authors forego editing. I get it. It’s expensive. And I understand the feeling these authors have: “I reread the damned manuscript three times and I even gave it to my wife. This puppy is ready to go!” But let's cut to the chase: You need to hire a professional to edit your book. Read more

Most people who order Amazon optimization consultation through BookBaby do so after their book is published — probably because they are unsatisfied with their sales or search engine ranking. There is nothing wrong with that, but a better time to have this conversation is before you upload your manuscript. Read more

Here are some pointers on how to best enter your book’s metadata, upload your manuscript for publishing, and everything else that goes into the ordering process. Read more

Authors spend so much time writing/rewriting/editing their books, but at the end of the day, that is the third most important element in determining if someone will buy it. After all, if you’ve done a poor job of crafting your metadata, readers will never find your book. And if your cover design sucks, no one will click on it. It’s that simple. Viewed through that lens, cover design is just as important as — if not more important than — the contents of your book. Read more

I think as human beings we all have something of value to share with the world and we shouldn’t be afraid to share our stories. Read more